Condiment container with features for affixing to food container

ABSTRACT

A stick-on condiment container may have a form similar to existing condiment containers commonly used in the fast-food industry (for example by McDonalds Corporation for its dipping sauces) with certain modifications. One modification is the addition of an adhesive layer applied on top of the sealing layer of the condiment container. Such an adhesive layer may be added at minimal cost. The adhesive layer enables the condiment container to be adhered to a fry carton, for example, in an orientation such that the greatest dimension is the depth dimension. The sealing layer, which is adhered to the fry carton, remains sealed; that is, the condiment container remains unopened. Another modification, therefore, is to define in the condiment container an alternative opening, for example by laser scoring.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to condiment packaging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,969 discloses a condiment (e.g., ketchup) container that attaches to a fry carton. Referring to FIG. 1A, as described therein, a known vacuum-formed sauce container 30 includes an upwardly projecting cavity portion, or cup shape, 32 defining a flange (horizontally projecting plane) 34 at the full perimeter of the upper most portion of the cavity portion 32. The flange 34 is the by-product of the manufacturing method known as vacuum-forming and has been used as a surface to adhere a mylar/foil seal 36 thereto to provide a hermetically sealed container for the preservation of the enclosed sauce or condiment (not shown).

Improvements to such containers and related improvements are described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The present invention may be further understood from the following description in conjunction with the appended drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a known condiment container.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a portion of a modified condiment container.

FIG. 2 is a top-side view of the condiment container of FIG. 1B.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the condiment container of FIG. 1B adhered to a food container.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the condiment container and food container of FIG. 3 following opening of a scribed opening.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a use of the condiment container and food container of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6A is a side view of another condiment container.

FIG. 6B is a top view of the condiment container of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 6C is a first diagram illustrating use of the condiment container of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 6D is a second diagram illustrating use of the condiment container of FIG. 9A.

FIG. 7A is a side view of another condiment container.

FIG. 7B is a top view of the condiment container of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 7C is a diagram of a flange accessory that may be used to affix a condiment container to a food container.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of an arrangement for scoring condiment containers like those of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating further details of the arrangement of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating alternative further details of the arrangement of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of a manufacturing line that may be used to manufacture the condiment container of FIG. 1B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Summary

Described herein are improvements to condiment containers and related improvements, including Deep Dip™ fry ketchup and Deep Dip Stick-on Fry Ketchup in which a ketchup-containing condiment container is affixed to a fry carton and has as its greatest dimension a depth dimension, enabling a fry to be “deep dipped.” The stick-on embodiment does not require the fry carton to have any cooperating features, and can be adhered to surfaces other than the surface of a fry carton.

Generally speaking, a stick-on condiment container may have a form similar to existing condiment containers commonly used in the fast-food industry (for example by McDonalds Corporation for its dipping sauces) with certain modifications. One modification is the addition of an adhesive layer applied on top of the sealing layer of the condiment container. Such an adhesive layer may be added at minimal cost. The adhesive layer enables the condiment container to be adhered to a fry carton, for example, in an orientation such that the greatest dimension is the depth dimension. The sealing layer, which is adhered to the fry carton, remains sealed; that is, the condiment container remains unopened. Another modification, therefore, is to define in the condiment container an alternative opening, for example by laser scoring. A tab may be provided to allow for easy opening of what is the top of the condiment container when it is adhered to the fry carton. Branding indicia may be provided on what would normally be the bottom of the condiment container but which, when the condiment container is adhered to the fry carton, is the front of the container.

Hence, in one embodiment, a condiment container includes a cavity-defining portion comprising sides and a bottom; a flange portion surrounding a first opening; and a scribe line defining a second tear-open opening. In a further embodiment, a condiment container includes a cavity-defining portion comprising sides and a bottom; a flange portion surrounding a first opening; a sealing material that allows a user to remove the sealing material and open the first opening; and a pull tab formed in the flange portion for opening a second tear-open opening. In a further embodiment, a condiment container includes a cavity-defining portion; a flange portion surrounding a first opening; a sealing material sealing the first opening; and an adhesive layer overlying the sealing material, the adhesive layer comprising a peel-off layer to be peeled off by a user to expose adhesive. In a still further embodiment, a condiment container includes a cavity-defining portion comprising sides and a bottom; a flange portion surrounding a first opening; a sealing material sealing the first opening; and branding indicia applied to the bottom.

In another embodiment, a condiment container is given a Deep Dip configuration such that the greatest dimension of the condiment container is the depth dimension. The container is sealed with a sealing material in normal fashion. In order to affix the condiment container to a food container such as a fry carton, a slit is formed in the fry carton and a flange of the condiment container is inserted into the slit. Slight “scallop” notches are formed in the sides of the flanges to be received in the slot. One of the scallops is seated in the slot, then the opposite scallop is rotated into the slot. The slot is sized to tightly grip the scallops and the flange so as to securely hold the condiment container. The same arrangement may be applied to condiment containers generally without regard to whether the condiment container has a Deep Dip configuration.

Hence, in another embodiment, a thermoformed condiment container includes a cavity-defining portion comprising a flat side; a flange portion comprising a straight edge; and opposing first and second indentations formed in the flange portion for engaging a food container to enable the condiment container to be attached to the food container such that the flat side of the cavity-defining portion abuts the food container and the straight edge of the flange portion engages a slot formed in the food container.

Other aspects include a slotted fry carton or food container, combinations of condiment containers and food containers, methods of scoring condiment containers, arrays of condiment containers to facilitate scoring, scoring equipment for scoring containers such as condiment containers, and packaging lines having equipment stages following form, fill and seal stages and preceding a die-cutting stage for applying an adhesive layer and performing scoring, e.g., laser scoring.

Description

Referring now to FIGS. 1B and 2, diagrams are shown of portions of a condiment container in accordance with one embodiment. The condiment container may have a form similar to existing condiment containers commonly used in the fast-food industry (for example by McDonalds Corporation for its dipping sauces) with certain modifications. Such condiment containers are typically manufactured in accordance with a well-known “form, fill and seal” process that includes thermoforming of a plastic layer to form a cavity having a flange, filling of the cavity with a condiment, and sealing of the cavity with a sealing material such as a foil layer, the foil layer being adhered to the flange in such as way to allow it to be separated by a user. A packaging line using a web process may allow hundreds of condiments containers per minute to be formed, filled and sealed.

The condiment container 100 has a cavity-defining portion 111 having sides and a bottom, a flange 113 surrounding an opening 114, and a sealing layer 103. Referring first in particular to FIG. 2, one modification is the addition of an adhesive layer 201 applied on top of the sealing layer 103 of the condiment container 100. The adhesive layer 201 functions like two-sided tape and may be of a type available from various vendors including, for example, Flexcon Corporation of Spencer, Mass. (USA). Such an adhesive layer 201 may be added as a roll process following sealing of the condiment containers, at minimal cost. The adhesive layer 201 may have adhesive portions arranged in “lanes,” separated by non-adhesive portions. The non-adhesive portions allow the user to obtain a grip on a protective layer in order to remove the protective layer and expose the adhesive. The adhesive layer 201 enables the condiment container 100 to be adhered to a fry carton, for example, in an orientation such that the greatest dimension is the depth dimension. The sealing layer 103, which is adhered to the fry carton, remains sealed; that is, the condiment container 100 remains unopened.

Referring to FIG. 1B, another modification, therefore, is to define in the condiment container 100 an alternative opening, for example by laser scoring defining a score line 101 and a further optional score line 101′. A tab 103 may be provided to allow for easy opening of what is the top (T) of the condiment container 100 when it is adhered to the fry carton. Branding indicia may be provided on what would normally be the bottom of the condiment container 100 but which, when the condiment container is adhered to the fry carton, is the front (F) of the condiment container. The branding indicia may be formed as relief features (for example, indented arches) during thermoforming of the condiment container.

Scoring may be performed in such a way such that in regions 107 and 109 adjoining ends of the tab 103, the material of the condiment container 100 is “kiss cut;” that is, the material is cut through without cutting through or significantly affecting the next layer, namely the sealing material.

A further optional modification of an existing condiment container is to increase the radius of a fillet between what is the top (T) of the condiment container 100 when it is adhered to the fry carton and adjoining surfaces. It is desirable for the score line 101 to run inside of a centerline of the fillet, toward the top surface (T). In this manner, greater ease of opening may be achieved. By increasing the radius of the fillet, a larger target is provided for purposes of scoring (particulars of which are described hereinafter). In general, geometry of the condiment container may, of course, be modified as desired, either for aesthetic or functional purposes.

During use, as illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, after peeling off a protective layer of the adhesive layer 201, the user sticks the condiment container to a surface, such as the surface of a fry carton 301 (FIG. 3), tears of a scored region 401 defining an opening 403 using the tab 103 (FIG. 1B), resulting in the configuration of FIG. 4, a and then proceeds to use the contents of the condiment container, such as by dipping a fry 501 in the condiment container (FIG. 5). The order of the foregoing steps may vary, and may include “peel, stick, tear,” “peel, tear, stick,” and other permutations,

Referring to FIGS. 6A-6D, in another embodiment, a condiment container 600 (which may have the same general features as the condiment container of FIG. 1A) is given a Deep Dip configuration such that the greatest dimension of the condiment container 600 is the depth dimension D. The container is sealed with a sealing material (not shown) in normal fashion. In order to affix the condiment container 600 to a food container 610 such as a fry carton, a slit 601 is formed in the fry carton 610 and a flange 603 of the condiment container 600 is inserted into the slit 601. Slight “scallop” notches 605, 605′ are formed in the sides of the flange 603 to be received in the slot 601. After the condiment container has been opened by removing the sealing material, one of the scallops (605) is seated in the slot 601, then the opposite scallop (605′) is rotated into the slot 601. The slot 601 is sized to tightly grip the scallops 605, 605′ and the flange 603 so as to securely hold the condiment container 600. The shape and depth of the scallops (or notches) 605, 605′ may vary. The scallops 605, 605′ may be formed, for example, during a die-cutting operation.

The same arrangement may be applied to condiment containers generally without regard to whether the condiment container has a Deep Dip configuration. Referring to FIG. 7A and 7B, a condiment container 700 (which may have the same general features as the condiment container of FIG. 1) is provided with scallop notches 705, 705′, enabling it to be affixed to a food container such as a fry carton in similar manner as in FIG. 6C and 6D.

The height of the slot 601 on the fry carton 610 of FIG. 6C may vary. In some embodiments, the slot may be positioned low on the fry carton, for purposes of stability. In other embodiments, the slot may be positioned such that the top of the condiment container is near to the opening of the fry carton, for convenience of use. In still other embodiments, multiple slots may be provided, for example to cover both of the foregoing cases.

In the case of the condiment containers of FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A and 7B, ordinarily, no special accommodation need be made for possible curvature of the fry carton (as described and illustrated for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,969). Instead of the wall of the condiment container being curved, the interaction of the slot 601 and the flange of the condiment container is such that the condiment container may be held securely without flush contact throughout between the wall of the fry carton and the wall of the condiment container. Nevertheless, in some instances, it may be desirable to increase somewhat the width of the flange of the condiment container that is inserted into the slot 601 of the fry carton, particularly if curvature of the fry carton is accentuated.

Referring to FIG. 7C, instead of modifying the flange of an existing condiment container to provide the scallops 605, 605′, a flange accessory 750 may be provided, having a shape similar to that of the flange of the existing condiment container but having in addition indentations 705, 705′, like scallops 605, 605′. If desired, the side of the flange accessory to be inserted into the slot may be curved in accordance with a curvature of the side of the fry carton, in order to minimize interference with the contents of the fry carton. In FIG. 7C, the dotted line indicates the curvature of the fry carton. In use, the flange accessory is fitted onto the condiment container, which is then inserted into the slot 601 in the manner previously described. Such a flange accessory may be injection molded in high volume very inexpensively. At the drive-through window, the attendant, when he or she provides condiment containers with an order, may also provide one or several flange accessories, which may be kept within easy reach of the condiment containers. The flange accessories may be reused, and one or more may be kept handy inside a vehicle, for example.

The condiment containers of FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A and 7B may be formed with minimal modifications to existing equipment and techniques. The condiment container of FIG. 1B, on the other hand, may be made snore economically by applying certain modifications to known equipment and techniques.

Referring to FIG. 8, an array of condiment containers 800 is supported so as to define a work plane. The array of condiment containers 800 may have been formed using a form, fill and seal process. Adjoining ones of the condiment containers, for example condiment containers 801 and 802, are staggered relative to one another for reasons to be described, A laser scanning head 810 is supported by a transport mechanism that includes, for example, a rod 820. For illustrative purposes, the transport mechanism is shown as an XY transport mechanism. In other embodiments, the transport mechanism may provide movement in more dimensions or fewer dimensions. For example, considering the array of condiment containers to be a “web,” the transport mechanism may provide movement a cross-web direction only, white relative motion in the orthogonal direction may occur as a consequence of movement of the web itself. A controller 830 controls the laser scanning head 810 and the transport mechanism. 820,

Note that scanning may occur from above the array of condiment containers 800 or from below the array of condiment containers 800, depending on an orientation of the array of condiment containers 800, which may be stationary during scanning or which may be in motion.

In one embodiment, the laser scanning head 810 is arranged to produce one or more pairs of laser beams. In one embodiment, the laser beams of a pair of laser beams are oriented at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to the support plane and form an angle between the laser beams of about ninety degrees. Two scan lines, 831 and 833 are shown in FIG. 8. One of the scan lines intersects only odd-numbered condiment containers of the array. Another of the scan lines intersects even-numbered condiment containers of the array. A pair of laser beams cooperates to perform laser scanning along a scan line. If a single pair of laser beams is produced, then separate scanning operations are performed for each scan line. If two pair of laser beams is produced, then a single scanning operation may be performed for each pair of scan lines.

In one embodiment, the laser scanning head 810 and the laser beams of a pair of laser beams are arranged relative to the array of condiment containers 800 such that the laser beams of an array of laser beams coincide at the surface of the condiment containers nearest the laser scanning head. During the course of a scan, the laser beams of the pair of laser beams are controlled by the controller 830 so as to be selectively turned on or off or have their power controlled up or down as different features of a condiment container are traversed. More particularly, referring to FIG. 9, as the left flange of a first odd-numbered condiment container is traversed, a first laser beam (heavy line) is turned on and a second laser beam (faint line) is turned off. This condition continues as the left sidewall is traversed. As the bottom is traversed, at some point the first laser beam is turned off and the second laser beam is turned on. This transition from the first laser beam to the second laser beam may be more or less gradual or more or less abrupt. The condition of the first laser beam being turned off and the second laser beam being turned on continues as the right sidewall and the right flange are traversed. Then, a void corresponding to where an even-numbered condiment container has been offset, or staggered, is traversed. During this time, the laser beams are switched back to the original condition, with the first laser beam on and the second laser beam off, in preparation for scoring of a next condiment container.

Referring to FIG. 10, in another embodiment, the laser scanning head 810 and the laser beams of a pair of laser beams are arranged relative to the array of condiment containers 800 such that the laser beams of an array of laser beams coincide at the plane of the flanges of the condiment containers. Control of the first and second laser beams then differs accordingly.

Of course, the laser beams of a laser beam pair may be arranged such they do not coincide at either the plane of the bottoms of the condiment containers or the plane of the flanges of the condiment containers.

Referring to FIG. 11, a diagram is shown of a packaging line for packaging condiments. In the past, such packaging lines have typically been arranged such that a form, fill and seal (FFS) stage 1110 is followed by a die-cutting stage 1120. In order to make the condiment container of FIG. 1, additional stages are added between the stage 1110 and the stage 1120. In the illustrated embodiment, these stages include an adhesive layer stage 1111 in which the adhesive layer 201 of FIG. 2 is applied and a laser scoring stage 1119.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the part that the present invention can be embodied in different forms without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof. The disclosed embodiments are therefore intended in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, not the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein. Words of approximation, except as otherwise noted, are used herein to mean plus or minus twenty percent of nominal value. 

1. A condiment container comprising: a cavity-defining portion comprising sides and a bottom; a flange portion surrounding a first opening; and a scribe line defining a second tear-open opening.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cavity-defining portion is formed of plastic, and the scribe line is defined in said plastic.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising: a sealing material sealing the first opening; and an adhesive layer overlying the sealing material, the adhesive layer comprising a peel-off layer to be peeled off by a user to expose adhesive.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising: a sealing material sealing the first opening; and branding indicia applied to said bottom.
 5. A condiment container comprising: a cavity-defining portion comprising sides and a bottom; a flange portion surrounding a first opening; a sealing material that allows a user to remove the sealing material and open the first opening; and a pull tab formed in said flange portion for opening a second tear-open opening.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, comprising a scribe line defining the second tear-open opening.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, comprising an adhesive layer overlying the sealing material, the adhesive layer comprising a peel-off layer to be peeled off by a user to expose adhesive.
 8. The apparatus of claim 5, comprising branding indicia applied to said bottom.
 9. A condiment container comprising: a cavity-defining portion; a flange portion surrounding a first opening; a sealing material sealing the first opening; and an adhesive layer overlying the sealing material, the adhesive layer comprising a peel-off layer to be peeled off by a user to expose adhesive.
 10. A condiment container comprising: a cavity-defining portion comprising sides and a bottom; a flange portion surrounding a first opening; a sealing material sealing the first opening; and branding indicia applied to said bottom.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, comprising a scribe line defining a second tear-open opening.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10, comprising: a sealing material sealing the first opening; and an adhesive layer overlying the sealing material, the adhesive layer comprising a peel-off layer to be peeled off by a user to expose adhesive. 13.-30. (canceled) 